In a smaller, more technological world, we can’t afford to underestimate proactive, collaborative safety and risk management strategies. The Ebola crisis has all of us thinking differently, for the time being. Unfortunately, our sensitizing is hard to sustain with so much information hitting our radar screens.

As our plane gently nestled into the landing strip at Lourdes, we found ourselves surrounded by emerald green mountains, a fairytale village and smiling faces. Our earlier worries and fears lightened as we were greeted by the noble Knights and Dames of Malta on our journey of hope and faith.

“I never realized how significant a trip to Israel could be” was the universal response of the pastors and wives sitting around a table at the Scots Hotel near the Sea of Galilee. These individuals were the second group of megachurch leaders to be hosted by the Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) in a new initiative to encourage every megachurch pastor in the United States to have a personal Israel experience.